20-24 septembrie 2009 - Biblioteca Metropolitana Bucuresti

804 Tănase BujduveanuPeninsula: wars, change of empires, plots of various ethnical or religiousgroups, even the interest of political powers from outside the Balkans.The religious organisation of the Aromanians went through many changesdepending on the influence of various empires: Bulgarian, Slav, Byzantine,Ottoman. The Byzantine Empire, which extended its dominance for afew centuries, also imposed the religious organisation of the regions andterritories under its administration.Churches – the centres of economic activitiesThe archives of St. Prodom Monastery state that in 1731 the guilds ofthe town of Moscopole donated money to build churches and monasteries.Their donations were various amounts of money to support the culturalactivities in the metropolis. There was intense trading around the churchesand monasteries. Many of the workshops of the guilds were located on bothsides of the main street in Moscopole between St. Mary’s and St. Nicholas’.The blacksmiths’ guild with its workshops and presentation shops was nextto St. Mary’s.The characteristics of the churchesThe town of Moscopole developed around its churches in three differentperiods. The first period refers to the establishment of the settlement aroundSt. Friday’s Church. During the second period the districts that formedaround churches were included in the town, and during the third period inthe 17th century the town enlarged around St. Nicholas’, St. John’s and St.Peter’s churches.The leading role of the churchThe representatives of the church in Moscopole took part in theorganisation and administration of the town. The council of the towncomprised members of the guilds and of the church. The council analysedand solved the important problems of the community. The meetings usuallytook place in public places or inside the church, either at St. Nicholas’ or St.Mary’s. Even the Patriarch of Ohrida took part at some of these meetingswhen he was inspecting the churches in the area. Religiously speakingthe activity of the churches in Moscopole was under the supervision ofthe Patriarch Church in Constantinople, but they had their autonomy.Moscopole was the seat of the Mitropolite Church of Moscopole and thereligious activity was conducted by the Archbishop of Ohrida.Churches in MoscopoleThe Ottoman administration did not allow for the Chrisitian churchesto be higher than the mosques. That is why to ensure that the churches